Today's requirements for antennas in the mobile communications field are above all characterized by the need to cover a large frequency band from approx. 600 MHz to at least 2.7 GHz. This can lead to difficulties in the design of the antennas that are intended to cover this entire frequency band. Problems can arise during decoupling if, as is customary, two identical (dipole) radiators are used in one dipole block or dipole module. A full width which is too narrow at half maximum (FWHM), i.e. too small an opening angle, in the upper frequency band range of approximately 2400 to 2690 GHz can result as well. Poor tracking can furthermore occur in this frequency range.
These problems can only partially be solved by interchanging or rotating the radiators, or combining different radiator types. In any case, a large amount of time is needed for calculations and measurements.
One possible solution for the problem can be to design the antennas only for certain frequency bands, i.e. design them separately for each mobile communications market.
Other suggestions for dipole radiator modules or antenna arrays, which solve or improve one or more of the problems, are disclosed, for example, in the European patent specification EP 1 082 781 B1. Here, two differently constructed radiators with different FWHM are combined with one another. This arrangement allows the FWHM of the antenna array to be tuned, making an interconnection with a defined phase position possible. The proposed solution is a good solution for frequency bands up to approx. 2 GHz. For the additional coverage of higher frequency bands, however, problems similar to those described above arise here as well. At the very least, a large amount of computing and measuring effort is required to design the antennas or the antenna array for this extended frequency band spectrum.
Another example of dipole radiators is disclosed in the patent application DE 10316786 A1 submitted by Kathrein-Werke KG, which provides a reflector for an antenna, in particular for a mobile communications antenna, which is characterized by the following features: the reflector is produced, preferably with its two longitudinal side boundaries and preferably with at least one transverse side boundary on the end face, in a casting process, in a deep-drawing or embossing process, or in a milling process, and at least one additional integrated functional part is provided on the reflector, which is likewise produced in a casting process, in a deep-drawing or embossing process or in a milling process. Another example of dipole radiators is disclosed in the patent application US 2007/0080883 A1 submitted by Kathrein-Werke KG, which provides a dual polarized dipole radiator, which radiates in two polarization planes that are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to one another, and is configured as a dipole square with four sides and, between two corner points, each side comprises two dipole components which, in plan view, are oriented at least approximately in the axial extension. The polarization planes respectively extend through an opposite pair of corner points and, in each case, two dipole components, which converge at a common corner point, are held by means of two feed arms and are electrically fed at a feed point that is provided on the respective dipole component opposite to the associated corner region. In each case, two feed arms, which lead to two dipole components provided on one side of the radiator set-up for the respective feed points, are disposed in parallel or almost parallel at a small lateral distance, and in each case both the dipole components, which converge at a common corner region, and the feed arms, which are connected thereto and respectively extend at least substantially perpendicular to the associated dipole component, are respectively connected to a support section, which extends transversely and preferably perpendicularly to the radiation plane E, wherein two respective adjacent support sections form a balancing unit with a slot between them. The dual-polarized dipole radiator is produced from a strip and/or panel material, in particular a metal sheet, and configured as a single piece, wherein the individual sections of the dual-polarized dipole radiator, including the dipole components, the feed arms, the support sections forming the balancing unit, as well as an associated base connecting the support sections, are connected to one another by bend and/or edge lines and/or fold lines that are introduced into the plate-shaped starting material. A further example of dipole radiators is disclosed in the utility model DE 202005015708 U1 filed by Kathrein-Werke KG, which provides a dipole-shaped radiator arrangement, wherein the dipole-shaped radiator arrangement comprises at least one radiator with at least two radiator halves, via which the dipole-shaped radiator arrangement is operated in at least one polarization plane, and the at least two radiator halves are disposed and/or held in front of an electrically conductive reflector via a carrier, wherein a base or a base point of the carrier is disposed and/or held directly or indirectly on the reflector. The at least one radiator is fed via at least one signal line.
For the above-named reasons, it is a task of this invention to provide a dipole radiator module and an associated array, by means of which the above-named problems are solved. This task is inventively solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.
These and all other extrinsic materials discussed herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.